Yazili Kanyon Tabiat Parkı

Yazılı Kanyon Nature Park, located 20 km from Sütçüler District, covers an area of 600 ha. On the side walls of the canyon there are sections used for worship, altar places and inscriptions belonging to the Byzantine period. Because of these inscriptions, the canyon was called “Yazılı Kanyon.” The depth of the canyon is 100 to 400 m. The park, which lies within the borders of Çandır Village, was registered as a nature park in 1989.

The nature park is a place constantly visited by tourists with its rich vegetation, wildlife and unique natural beauties that are a pleasure to behold. The canyon, through which the historic “Kral Yolu” also passes, has historical importance with its temple and rock inscriptions. Saint Paul passed through this canyon while going from Perge to Pisidia Antiokheia. Within the park area, there is a camping area suitable for public recreation.

Yazılı Kanyon Rock Inscription in the Çandır (a branch of Aksu) Valley: (Poem on the free human)

O traveler, make your preparations for the road and set out; knowing this: A free person is only the person who is free in character The measure of a person’s freedom lies in his own nature And if he is sincere in his decision, the free person, And if honesty is in his heart, these are what make a person noble And with this the free person is exalted, not by faults. He takes no pleasure in a fabricated nobility coming from mother and father For it is not mother and father who give birth to the free human It is Zeus, who is ancestor to everyone and the single root of humankind Everyone has a single chance. He receives bodily beauty as required by fate This is beauty of lineage and the state of being free in the true sense. But the one who is spiritually a slave does not refrain from evil speech, even if he is a compounded slave Excess is the motto of this person, there is baseness in his heart O traveler, Epictetus was born of a slave mother, but He was exalted above everyone, like an eagle: and in wisdom his soul was worthy of admiration If I must say it, a divine being gave birth to him. If only now as well (if this were possible) Such a useful and joy-giving person Among all famous people was born into the world from a slave mother.

The starting point of the walking route has been taken as the road branching off to Yazılı Kanyon at the village exit, on the road going from Çandır Village to Sütçüler District. It is possible to go by vehicle as far as the entrance of the canyon, and the walk can also be started from here. At the canyon entrance, there is a small café where basic needs such as water and toilets can be met. At this point, two natural beauties welcome visitors… The first is the very high rock blocks forming the canyon walls; the second is Göksu Stream, which filters through these rocks and guides you along the valley floor. As you walk from the vehicle parking area into the canyon, while getting even closer to the rock blocks, the signs on the path also attract attention. This canyon is also a part of Saint Paul Yolu, the second longest marked route in Turkey, through which Saint Paul passed.

When you walk 300 meters on the narrow path, you cross to the other side of the canyon by the iron bridge that appears before you, and here you reach the rock on which Epicurus’ poem called “Hür İnsan” is written. The name of Yazılı Kanyon also comes from this inscription.

From the inscription toward the interior of the canyon, the beauty created by various plants, trees and very high rocks is completed by the murmur of Göksu Stream flowing immediately to your left. After walking in this way for one kilometre, an open area is encountered. The path descending from the left of this area takes its visitors a little further on to a water source. This is the place that the people you met at the entrance of the canyon called “Suyun Çıktığı Yer.”

It is possible to proceed deeper into the canyon from the path advancing in the direction from which the stream comes. However, after about 1 kilometre the paths end, and at this point it is necessary to cross the water. Since this may be dangerous, it is recommended that this route be ended at a point further back.

The canyon is a paradise of a natural photography area. In addition to its rich vegetation, the diversity of wildlife is also a good reason to visit the area in all four seasons. Magnificent stream, canyon and mountain landscape photographs can be taken.

Source: Isparta Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism

Places to Visit in Isparta Address: Çandır Köyü- Sütçüler/ Isparta